Amazon unveils new administration building with work-based learning
Amazon Web Services has opened a new Campus Administration Building in New Carlisle, Indiana, as part of its $11 billion investment in the community. The facility features a training center focused on developing local talent for data center and machine learning roles. Amazon has partnered with Ivy Tech Community College and local high schools to create a career pipeline and provide STEM education.
Amazon Web Services (AWS) has inaugurated a new Campus Administration Building on its data center campus located between New Carlisle and South Bend, Indiana. This development is part of Amazon's substantial $11 billion investment commitment to the region.
The new building houses a dedicated training center aimed at cultivating the next generation of data center and machine learning professionals from the local community. Josh Sallabedra, AWS's cluster operations leader for Indiana, highlighted that this facility, one of the first of its kind in the U.S., offers resources for employee comfort, including lockers, showers, and a cafe.
The Work-Based Learning program at this facility recruits directly from high schools, colleges, and community members across Northern Indiana, providing training in machine learning and data center operations without requiring prior technological knowledge. Amazon emphasizes its commitment to hiring and training local individuals.
Partnerships with Ivy Tech Community College branches in South Bend, Valparaiso, and Lake County, along with the Indiana Department of Workforce Development, are crucial for creating a robust career pipeline. The AWS Pathways Program, a collaboration between Ivy Tech and AWS, trains students in skills like fiber optic splicing and server operations. Additionally, Amazon opened its first "Think Big Space" in Indiana at New Prairie High School in New Carlisle, offering hands-on technology education to approximately 3,000 students to encourage interest in STEM fields. Sergio Loureiro, Vice President of Global Data Centers Operations at AWS, stated that the campus signifies Amazon's long-term commitment to the Midwest and its belief that access and opportunity, not just a tech resume, can build a tech career.